D23 winding down?

[asianway]

I don't think you'll have to worry about that. When they shut down D23 in late '13 or in '14, it will be many years until they try something like that again, if they ever do.

Just judging by the massive D23 Expo, it's an extremely expensive thing for them to operate and pull off. Disney must have lost a fortune on the whole D23 concept in the last five years.

And what was the point of D23? I got all the insider scoops I need from a few key websites (like this one), anything of interest offered by D23 events is available online almost immediately, and my one splurge was buying a day ticket to the D23 Expo as a Southern Californian for an afternoon stroll through the exhibit halls. If they had been doing truly unique and irreplaceable experiences, it might have been worth it so long as you lived within 100 miles of Disneyland or WDW. But they didn't even really do that, but charged a chunk of cash for it anyway.

So long, D23. You won't really be missed.

Ive been amazed that they did not use the opportunity of the Expo to do a "park buyout" one night. You have every fanboy in the country in one spot all lathered up. Im sure they could print money selling tickets for $300 a pop. The 1 year party at DL looks like it was the best thing they put on so far. Im sure they lost money at $60 a ticket or whatever they charged, but they could jack it up.

 

[Uddy]

Just wait 24 hours. Anything worth knowing about will be posted here by then!

 

[prberk]

I remember the good ol' days not too long ago when the magazine was available on the shelves at Barnes & Noble...

I remember the better ol' days when the Disney Magazine existed for a much cheaper price and much more content, a whole lot of it dedicated to the serious Disney fan.

And the days before that when the Disney Magazine came with your Disney Club membership ($40 per year), which also included 10% discounts at the parks and Disney Stores and some resort discounts.

And the days before that when the Magic Kingdom Club (predecessor to The Disney Club) came free as a benefit at many large workplaces, and included a newsletter (predecessor to the Disney Magazine) for fans, as well as hotel discounts and merchandise discounts at the parks and at the Disney Stores.

In those days business schools studied "the Disney Way" for how to create loyalty and create goodwill that generated great and long-term returns on investment.

That was before the strategic planning group and other consultants came in to show the Disney Company what they were obviously doing wrong....

 

[dizneeboy]

Being a life long fan and collector, I fell for the subscription right off the bat. Although I try and visit both coasts each year, the membership was never geared for non-locals (I'm in Colorado) and just wasn't worth it to me so I let it lapse after the first year. I really enjoyed the inaugural D23 Expo but didn't visit the last one. All the updates ended up on fan sites like this within seconds and I didn't even feel like I needed to be there. My goal was to visit every other one but anyone can buy a ticket to it and not sure the membership is worth the discount for entry.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

I think a previous poster hit the nail on the head when they stopped supplying the magazine to the Basic Membership level since they now include DVC members as "basic" D23 members -- they aren't going to supply them with (very expensive to print and mail) magazines for a free membership.
I don't see either the magazine nor D23 going anywhere. It makes money for them through merchandise, Expo, and membership sales, and more importantly it serves as a marketing tool. I can't recall the last time I walked into any of my doctors offices and didn't see a copy of D23 lying around in the waiting room. THAT is exactly what Disney is after, not the casual family memberships.
Incidentally, the current issue featuring Oz is just gorgeous and one of the best issues they have ever issued.

 

[michmousefan]

I think a previous poster hit the nail on the head when they stopped supplying the magazine to the Basic Membership level since they now include DVC members as "basic" D23 members -- they aren't going to supply them with (very expensive to print and mail) magazines for a free membership.
I don't see either the magazine nor D23 going anywhere. It makes money for them through merchandise, Expo, and membership sales, and more importantly it serves as a marketing tool. I can't recall the last time I walked into any of my doctors offices and didn't see a copy of D23 lying around in the waiting room. THAT is exactly what Disney is after, not the casual family memberships.
Incidentally, the current issue featuring Oz is just gorgeous and one of the best issues they have ever issued.

Agree. D23 isn't going anywhere. Moreover, what some on this thread seem to believe is that it's a replacement for the Disney News and Magic Kingdom Club. It's not. D23 fills some of those roles, but it's much more. Particularly so the Film and TV portion of the business. Disney wants the D23Expo to rival ComicCon -- and while that's unlikely to happen, if they manage to make Marvel and Lucasfilm movie announcements and appearances exclusive to the Expo, they will catch up very quickly. If they do, then you'll see the Expo every year. Parks & Resorts is important but not everything.

 

[grandmath]

I remember the better ol' days when the Disney Magazine existed for a much cheaper price and much more content, a whole lot of it dedicated to the serious Disney fan.

I received the Disney Magazine but I don't have the same memories as you. When I look back at them today (I kept them since the end of the 90's), all I see is a bunch of press releases and advertisements, desguised as "insider stories" that were not. But maybe the illusion worked because the internet wasn't so developed, and every bit of news related to Disney was gold to us fans.

In a world where hard news or scoops aren't possible to pull off anymore due to internet leaks, micro blogging etc. I think D23 is doing a good job, by providing historical articles or in-depth interviews. They will never have the tone of unofficial websites or fan conversations, but they provide good trivia, rare photos... and the magazine's quality is great.

I don't know what you expect from a fan club : always more discounts? As a Disney fan, I don't care primarly about discounts (I could get some with an AP, a DVC membership, a Club 33 membership, as a shareholder etc.), I want to be part of a fan community, be informed, learn new stuff, being told stories of my interest, get to see exclusive or rare things... The Expo, while it has its glitches, is a tremendous opportunity to see, learn, meet, listen. Yes you get all the reports on the internet right away, then what? Nothing replaces the mood of the place, the excitment of meeting the stars of some Imagineers, to wander through the archives and all.

So, while I'll be sad not to find D23 Magazine at WDW at my future visits, it doesn't look to me that this means anything. In a world where we'll all connected through free networks, where most of the information is free and spread out (even illegally), some people will always be disappointed and complain, but I think the majority of today's subscribers to D23 - the silent ones - will remain.

 

[Brian Noble]

The magazine was the least interesting part of the membership, no loss. Most issues I own are still in their original plastic. The only reason anyone joins is for the events.

I can think of at least one person who continues to renew primarily for the magazine.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I only read it for the interviews.

Which magazine are we talking about again?

 

[prberk]

I received the Disney Magazine but I don't have the same memories as you. When I look back at them today (I kept them since the end of the 90's), all I see is a bunch of press releases and advertisements, desguised as "insider stories" that were not. But maybe the illusion worked because the internet wasn't so developed, and every bit of news related to Disney was gold to us fans.

In a world where hard news or scoops aren't possible to pull off anymore due to internet leaks, micro blogging etc. I think D23 is doing a good job, by providing historical articles or in-depth interviews. They will never have the tone of unofficial websites or fan conversations, but they provide good trivia, rare photos... and the magazine's quality is great.

I don't know what you expect from a fan club : always more discounts? As a Disney fan, I don't care primarly about discounts (I could get some with an AP, a DVC membership, a Club 33 membership, as a shareholder etc.), I want to be part of a fan community, be informed, learn new stuff, being told stories of my interest, get to see exclusive or rare things... The Expo, while it has its glitches, is a tremendous opportunity to see, learn, meet, listen. Yes you get all the reports on the internet right away, then what? Nothing replaces the mood of the place, the excitment of meeting the stars of some Imagineers, to wander through the archives and all.

So, while I'll be sad not to find D23 Magazine at WDW at my future visits, it doesn't look to me that this means anything. In a world where we'll all connected through free networks, where most of the information is free and spread out (even illegally), some people will always be disappointed and complain, but I think the majority of today's subscribers to D23 - the silent ones - will remain.

I think going to the Expo would have been fun, but I live 3000 miles away from Anaheim. Would have made more sense to have it in Orlando every other time. I do understand the feeling of being there, but most could not. Other things about a loyalty club could help make members feel valued and "insider". It is a delicate balance of things, including discounts and information or special events.

As for the magazine, it did have more ads (as it was public) and info about the current releases, but it also had more content overall, and much of it was aimed at real Disney fans. It included articles about obscure things, like that one posted here recently about Tony Baxter's house, and usually at least one each quarter with extensive pics and info about a ride or legend. My favorite part was the four or five pages each month from Dave Smith, chief archivist.

But as for discounts, yes that is something that most fan clubs would have... and, as I mentioned, help develop loyalty. You feel special and appreciated. Do you join your airline club or your hotel club only to receive a slick magazine and admission to a hotel or airline convention, even if you love the ariline or their beautiful convention space? Do you join your grocer's loyalty club just so that you can receiver their recipe booklets in the mail, or do you prefer to have some coupons with that, for items that you tend to buy? I love the Gaylord Opryland Resort hotel in Nashville, with its lush gardens, but I go more often when they send me a discount code or send me updates about who is coming to the Grand Ole Opry.

There was a reason that business schools used to teach "the Disney way" as masterful, and it included a true mixture of marketing and service that inspired lifelong loyalty... and didn't seem to nickel and dime (or $75 and $100) you to death.

 

[flavious27]

Basically right, with a slight tweak: it's probably too expensive to keep printing in such large quantities. Limiting the print run is just a different way of squeezing nickels.

So basically expect a paid app soon.

 

[Malin]

The biggest issue when it comes to the Expo is that Members get the same treatment when it comes to lining up for the presentations as people just visiting without a Membership. Earlier admission and a free lounge don't really offer too much vaule. Although I still see the Expo returning even if the D23 Membership dies. Personally I gave up this year. It just doesn't offer any vaule unless your in the States on either coast. Coming from the UK whats the point in offering a tour of the Studios in Burbank just 2 months before the date and I'm certain its the same for people living outside of the State of California.

 

[juniorthomas]

So basically expect a paid app soon.

They'll probably still price the world out of it though...

"Now on the iTunes Store - the D23 App and Subscription service. Only $14.99 per minute!"

 

[Sue_Vongello]

Or maybe they could start offering actual "perks" to the passholders and DVCers ... you know the people who keep coming back and spending insane amounts of money all year(s) long. Maybe that could be the club?

 

[JWG]

As a charter D23 member, I let my membership lapse this year. The $10 credit wasn't enough to sway me back. I like the magazine, but not for $65-$75 a year. Living in MN, to the person from UK up above, I can't drop everything and fly in for a free screening at the Capitan theater or take advantage of a special dessert party at Epcot on a moments notice. Those perks belong to pass holders and residents.

For D23 to succeed, they need real perks for those of us NOT at the parks wanting to stay connected to Disney and they haven't figured that out yet.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I wasn't interested enough to join but I would pick up the magazine at Barnes & Noble. But after a while even the magazine started to lose my interest. I used to enjoy the Disney magazine and hated to see that one die out.

 

[TP2000]

I think going to the Expo would have been fun, but I live 3000 miles away from Anaheim. Would have made more sense to have it in Orlando every other time.

It's been discussed before, but there's not enough space and convention facilities at WDW to do a D23 Expo without drastically downsizing it and chopping it up across several different facilities that can't be walked to; Contemporary, Saratoga Springs, Swan & Dolphin, etc.

The only way to do a D23 Expo in Orlando would be to host it at the Orlando Convention Center, but then you aren't near WDW property and you have the logistical issue of transporting 40,000 people to and from Disney property each day. It just doesn't work in Orlando without giving up on WDW property entirely. Then there's the logistics of getting all that stuff from Burbank out to Orlando and back, personnel expenses, etc., etc.

It works in Anaheim, as the largest convention center on the West Coast is literally across the street from Cars Land and within a 15 minute walk of Disney hotels, Downtown Disney, and both theme parks. D23 Expo could only happen in Anaheim.

 

[TP2000]

Or maybe they could start offering actual "perks" to the passholders and DVCers ... you know the people who keep coming back and spending insane amounts of money all year(s) long. Maybe that could be the club?

I could see some perks for DVC. But for passholders? Nah... Passholders are already getting in to the parks on both coasts on steerage rates, and then not spending nearly as much per day as the tourists sharing the parks with them. And yes, there's always some AP who collects every Lladro statue they offer, but for every Lladro collector there are 1,000 AP Minivan Moms sneaking in baggies of carrots and bottled water for snacks during their bi-weekly stroller visit. Or the AP who thinks they are doing Disney a favor because they usually get a churro during their bi-weekly visit, or one time they did the Tomorrowland Terrace dessert buffet for the wife's birthday. Overall though, AP's are spending pennies on the dollar compared to casual tourists.

The Passholders who visit once a month or more are statistically the steerage customers in the theme parks, and the extremely cheap rates at which we get into the parks with our AP is enough of a perk.

 

[KevinYee]

I renewed again, mostly because I'm a completist for books and magazines. The renewal gift this year was a pen, with Walt's name scrawled on it. This paled in comparison to the nostalgia-fueled (and frankly way more inventive) gifts they gave in previous years.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I refused to renew. I was sucked once to renew. Not again.